From the beginning of television, the variety show was a mainstay
in the homes of America. From Uncle Milty, to Ed Sullivan, to
The Smothers Brothers, there have been dozens of hour long programs
which were hosted by top celebrities, who introduced and interacted
with the best entertainers in the business.

But something happened; something caused this tradition to
become extinct. Perhaps, it was due to the saturation of variety
shows in the Seventies. Perhaps the Networks found less expensive
ways to entertain their audiences. For whatever reasons, the
variety show is now a thing of the past.

One of the last of these wonderful hour long shows, designed
to showcase the top performers in the business, was The Barbara
Mandrel and the Mandrel Sisters Show. The hour long show on
NBC would find an audience of 40 million viewers each week.

The timing for this show was perfect. Disco was dying as fast
as it had risen, which opened the door for Country Music. Along
with Waylon and Willie and a host of others, Country Music was
rejuvenated. Barbara Mandrel had just won the Country Music
Association’s award for Entertainer of the Year. This
opened the door for the variety show, which was hosted by Mandrel
and featured her sisters, Louise and Irlene.

The format was a little different than previous variety shows.
Instead of trained seal acts and comedy sketches, the Mandrels
conveyed a more relaxed environment, allowing a more personal
interaction with the guests.

Yes, the banter with Barbara and her sisters was more than
a little corny, as were some of the segways between songs. One
depicts Barbara, alone onstage, wondering what had become of
the cast and crew. The camera follows her backstage, where she
finds everyone, including Johnny Cash and June Carter, playing
Pac Man. To his credit, Johnny was more than a little uncomfortable
appearing in this scene.

But the informal dialogue with Johnny Cash, as well as Barbara’s
duets with Johnny, his wife June and a score of others, including:
Dolly Parton, Bob Hope, Ray Charles, Marty Robbins and Gen Campbell
are timeless. Give them another twenty five years and they will
be priceless.

Time/Life has presented us with yet another time capsule of
entertainment. It is not only a pleasure to watch Kenny Rogers
sing “Lady’ in the prime of his career, it is also
interesting to see the beautiful stage lighting and set design.
How different the red and orange hues of the Eighties are in
contrast to the flashing strobe lights of American Idol!

While Country Music of the Eighties may not be your favorite
style of music, it is always nice to look back in time, to see
the progression of music, the innovations of technology and
how it applies to our culture. http://www.timelife.com